corkyadj.

Brit.

/ˈkɔːki/, U.S.

/ˈkɔrki/

Etymology: < cork n.¹ + -y suffix¹. The figurative uses appear to be the earlier.

a. Having the nature or character of cork; cork-like.

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society > occupation and work > materials > raw material > cork > [adjective] > resembling cork

suberous1670

corkish1708

corky1756

suberiform1804

suberose1814

subereous1826

the world > matter > properties of materials > lightness > [adjective] > rising due to lightness > buoyant

buoyant1578

unimmergible1806

air-chambered1856

unsinkable1883

corky1887

unsubmersible1891

1756 C. Lucas Ess. Waters iii. 38 Of a more corky texture.

1832 W. Macgillivray Trav. & Researches A. von Humboldt xxvi. 393 The veins of Zuriapan..contain a great variety of..corky asbestus.

1874 M. C. Cooke Fungi (1875) 24 The greater number of species are leathery or corky.

1884 F. O. Bower & D. H. Scott tr. H. A. de Bary Compar. Anat. Phanerogams & Ferns 563 The thick corky layers of Quercus Suber.

1887 All Year Round 14 May 394 The sombre water way on which they [boats] ride with a corky buoyancy.

b. corky scab n. = potato scab n. at potato n. Compounds 2. Australian.

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the world > plants > disease or injury > [noun] > type of disease > caused by insects > associated with crop or food plants > scab

scab1742

potato scab1882

corky scab1911

1911 D. McAlpine Handbk. Fungus Dis. Potato in Australia iv. 78 (heading) ‘Corky’, Powdery or Spongospora Scab.

1933 Bulletin (Sydney) 6 Dec. 28/3 Corky scab appears in its mild form as rough scabs or small conical pimples on the skin of the tuber, but when more severe the flesh of the potato is destroyed and a canker-like appearance supervenes.

1943 Coast to Coast 1942 34 The farm had failed with Corky Scab on the potatoes.

†2. figurative. Dry and stiff, withered, sapless. Obsolete.

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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > diseases of tissue > wasting disease > [adjective] > withered

forpined1377

contractc1430

withereda1500

forwithered1563

arefacted1599

arefacting1599

corky1603

diminished1607

shrivelled1607

shirpit1821

shriveldy1840

mummified1879

1603 S. Harsnett Declar. Popish Impostures 23 To teach an old corkie woman to writhe, tumble, curuet, and fetch her Morice gamboles.

1608 W. Shakespeare King Lear xiv. 27 Bind fast his corkie armes.

3. figurative. Light, trifling, frivolous; buoyant, lively, springy; hence, skittish, ticklish, restive. colloquial.

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the mind > attention and judgement > inattention > mental wandering > light-mindedness > [adjective]

lightlyeOE

lightOE

lightsomea1425

flying1509

light-minded?1529

tickle or light of the sear?1530

giddya1547

light-headed1549

gidded1563

giddish1566

fling-brained1570

tickle-headed1583

toyish1584

shallow1594

leger1598

corky1601

barmy1602

airy1609

unfirma1616

unballast1622

cork-brained1630

unballasted1644

kickshawa1655

unserious1655

unstudious1663

flirtishc1665

caper-witteda1670

shatter-headedc1686

corky-brained1699

flea-lugged1724

halokit1724

shatter-brained1727

scattered-brained1747

shatter-witted1775

flippant1791

butterfly-brained1796

scatter-brained1804

gossamer1806

shandy-pated1806

shattery1820

barmy-brained1823

papilionaceous1832

flirtatious1834

flirty1840

Micawberish1859

scatterheaded1867

flibberty-gibberty1879

thistledown1897

shatter-pated1901

trivial-minded1905

scattery1924

fizgig1928

ditzy1979

the mind > emotion > excitement > excitability of temperament > spiritedness or liveliness > [adjective] > excessively lively

skittishc1412

corky1746

1601 J. Marston et al. Iacke Drums Entertainm. i. sig. B4 That same perpetuall grin That leades his Corkie Jests to make them sinke Into the eares of his Deryders.

1631 J. Weever Anc. Funerall Monuments 54 Inuenting, out of their owne corkie braines, a new certaine no-forme of Liturgie.

1661 Sir H. Vane's Politics 2 Churles of a light and corky humour.

1746 E. Carter in Pennington Mem. (1808) I. 136 Before they are half over I grow so restless and corky, I am ready to fly out of the window.

1782 J. Sinclair Observ. Sc. Dial. 100 Corky, airy, brisk.

1862 ‘C. Bede’ Tales College Life 24 He's rather corky at the best of times; what will he be now?

1862 Mrs. H. Wood Mrs. Halliburton's Troubles II. xxi. 241 ‘They be getting corky at the beer-shops, now-a-days, and won't give no trust.’

1872 O. W. Holmes Poet at Breakfast-table iv. 112 They felt so ‘corky’ it was hard to keep them down.

1875 ‘Stonehenge’ Man. Brit. Rural Sports (ed. 12) ii. i. v. §5. 438 If the horse seems light and corky.

4. Having acquired a flavour of cork; = corked adj. 4.

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the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > wine > qualities or characteristics of wine > [adjective] > having specific flavour > tasting of the cork or cask

enfumed1601

fusty1601

corkish1822

corked1830

corky1889

over-oaked1981

1889 Cent. Dict. (at cited word) A corky flavor.

1925 F. S. Fitzgerald Great Gatsby i. 15 My second glass of corky but rather impressive claret.

1967 New Statesman 15 Dec. 860/2 We should say corky to describe an ‘off-odour’.

Compounds

corky-brained, corky-headed adjs. (cf. sense 3, and cork n.¹).

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